Thursday, March 12, 2009

Owner's Guide to Overheating in Iguanas

You're probably aware that iguanas are from tropical areas. This makes you think that overheating isn't a common problem, but it is. In the wild, iguanas can get out of the sun anytime they need to. In captivity, they rely on you to keep their temperature in a suitable range and provide them with a cooler area to go to.
It's very important that you have a few thermometers in your iguana's enclosure. This will allow you to monitor the temperature and do something if it gets too warm. You should try to have at least three thermometers spread throughout the enclosure.
The placement of the thermometers is also important. If you intend to use one to monitor the temperature in the middle of the enclosure, placing it on a side wall will give you an inaccurate reading. Therefore, you should put the thermometer in close proximity to the area you want to monitor.
If the temperature does happen to get out of control, you will want to know the signs of overheating in iguanas. The most noticeable symptom if panting and gaping his mouth. If you feel him, he will probably feel hot to the touch.
If your iguana is overheating, you should immediately remove him from the heat source. After being removed, he should cool down without further intervention. If you want to speed things along, you can put lukewarm water in a bottle and mist him.
You should also know that iguanas that overheat are very susceptible to dehydration. Therefore, if your iguana does suffer this condition, you need to make sure he gets rehydrated. The best way to do this is to feed him foods with high water content such as lettuce and watermelon.
Always keep an eye on the temperature in your iguana's enclosure to ensure he doesn't overheat. There are plenty of things all owners need to learn about proper iguana care. If you want to ensure your pet stays healthy for a long time, head over to green-iguana-care.com. Gets tips on a range of topics like setting up an iguana habitat

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